The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-02-11
FREDERICK W. BAKER, Editor.
A Plea for Hawks.

The Baltimore Sun of Saturday last con.
tanned plea for hawks, showing that in
thirty-four counties of Pennsylvania, under
the stimulus ola bounty of fifty cents for
each hawk killed, 9,237 hawks were killed
from June, 1885, to June, 1885, The entire
expense 10 the State of Pennsylvania, during
the period named, for the destruction OF
hawks, owls, weasels. minks, &c., 1t is be.
lieved, will foot up 100000, the largest part
of (which was for the destruction of hawks
and owls. The Sun adds:
Against these birds (hawks and owls,) there
has been long standing, deep rooted popular
prejudice, and the act WAS passed avowedly to
protect farmers from tbeir ravages 1t has now
been demonstrated from the mcr0scopical ex-
animation made of the food Of these birds by
DIR. Warren, the ornithologist of the Pennsyi-
yania board OF agriculture, who is also a men,
Der OF the West Chester Microscopica Society,
that hawks and owls, and even weasels, in
stead Of doing injury to the farmer arc really
his best friends. OF the eleven species of haw Ks
most numerous In Pensylvan only three-the
Goshawk, and two smaller hawks known as
Choppers" and the "sharp-shinned hawk
ever attacks poultry, and even with respect to
them the occasional destruction of poultry is
said to be "insign6cant In comparison with the
benefits derived by the farmer and fruit-grower
from their destruction, in common with all the
other species OF hawks, of mice and other ro-
dents, and OF insectivorous pests"
Repeated examinations of the food contained In
the stomachs of hawks and owls showed, with
one or two exceptions, that 1t invariably con.
slsts OF beetles, grasshoppers, and occasionally
birds, mice and shrews. Correspondence with
the most eminent ornithologists of the United
States, including those connected with the ag-
rfeultural department and the Smithsonian H.
stitution, fully confirms the microscopical re-
searches Of DR.. Warren. DR.. Merriam, of the
agricultural department. expresses his surprise
and indignation that such q law as that of
Pennsylvania should have been enacted. He
regards it as melancholy comment on the
widespread ignorance that prevails, even among
Intelligent persons, concerning the food Of our
common birds aud mammals. The result of the
investigation Is the passage OF q resolution by
the West Chester Society to lay its report be-
islature, accompanied by petition asking the
repeal OF that portion of the oct of 1885 which
concerns hawks and owls.
In Hartford county, Mr.. G. w. Proctor,
Treasurer to the County Commissioners, has
paid in bounties for hawk heads since the LIST
of July, 1886, no less than $3.50, representing
the destruction of at least 500 hawks. Many
of these birds, it Is represented, are marsh
hawks, which it is said, do little or no dam
age to poultry yards.
1t has been noticed by observant farmers
that since the war upon hawks has been 30
systematically conducted there has been q
vast increase in the numbers of field mice,
which burrow in pasture fields feeding upon
and destroying the grass.
In view of these facts would 1t not be well
TO ask for a repeal OF the law providing a
premium for hawk headsP Ifthe destruction
ofhawks continues at the same rate, by the
time the fiscal year closes, next June, the
county will have paid out from $500 to $500.
1t lis worth while considering, apart from the
question of expense TO the county, whether
more damage than benefit does not result
from the law offering q bounty for hawk
heads